It’s Release Day for Wined and Died in New Orleans, the second book in Ellen Byron’s new series, The Vintage Cookbook Mysteries! Says the Library Journal, “Fans of Byron’s award-winning ‘Cajun Country’ mysteries will enjoy her return to New Orleans with an engaging, fun cast of characters.” Congratulations, Ellen! You can pick up a copy through the link below. About WINED AND DIED IN NEW … Continue reading Happy Book Birthday, Ellen Byron!
* With apologies to Carly Simon. We’re all guilty of it. You’ve decided that now is the time to sit down and finally do whatever it is you’ve been putting off: those year-end taxes; that letter to your niece thanking her for a lovely birthday present; or perhaps organizing all those thousands of photos on your computer. But I’m thinking writers have to be the … Continue reading Procrastination… Is Makin’ Me Late*
Welcome to “Behind the Book,” our fun new Chicks on the Case feature! Join us as we Chicks share the real stories behind our stories. Inspiration, motivation, frustration, jubilation–you’ll find them all right here… Hi, Ellen here, pulling back the curtain on my new Vintage Cookbook Mystery. The main plot of Wined and Died in New Orleans is twofold: 1) a valuable cache of 19th … Continue reading Behind the Book: Wined and Died in New Orleans
The Chicks are happy to welcome as-yet unpublished cozy author Pamela Wells, who is currently in the query trenches. Pam is a member of the Colorado Chapter of Sisters in Crime and Rocky Mountain Chapter Mystery Writers of America. Today she shares a bit about her writing journey journey so far. Take it away, Pam! What does the term Groundhog Day mean to you? Do … Continue reading Guest post: Pam Wells
Will robots write our books in the near future? True, we writers spend plenty of time pounding our heads instead of our fingers on the keyboard. But will we hand over our jobs to artificial intelligence? Lisa asked an AI bot to come up with 2 short mystery plots, just for fun … Continue reading Plotting with Robots
As mystery readers and writers, danger is never far from our minds. Turns out, it’s never far from our homes, either. Our collective abodes are rife with hidden risks, like slippery bathtubs, defective wiring, or—if things get interesting—ice cream sprinkled with rat poison. But lesser-known dangers lurk in our lives, as well. Here’s a quick overview featuring my recent brushes with peril. Errant EmojisMaybe it’s … Continue reading Hidden Dangers
Lisa here, delighted along with my fellow Chicks to welcome multi-award-winning author Tracy Clark as our guest today. We’re sure you’ll enjoy hearing about her process for getting her new detective character to talk–or not. Take it away, Tracy! Continue reading Guest Chick: Tracy Clark
I was unexpectedly reduced to tears last week. I’m just getting over Covid, and my eyes are still watering a bit, but without emotion. Mid-January also marks the anniversary of my dad’s death, which also elicits tears – but those were not unexpected. Then Lisa Marie Presley died suddenly. I stared at the TV report and sobbed. I have cried after hearing about the death … Continue reading Lights out in Memphis
I don’t like the rain. There, I said it. Sorry, El…I know you’re a pluviophile. To be fair, I do appreciate the water and the survival of plants. I also like being inside and reading a book on rainy days. I could do without the flooding and severe weather warnings, though. Apparently, I also can’t handle multiple days of rain and sequential weekends spent indoors. … Continue reading All Things Cozy and Warm
Leslie, here, pleased to welcome back to the Chicks the fab Francelia Belton. ‘Tis the season for–or not for–new year’s resolutions, and here’s a terrific take on the issue by Francelia: To Resolute, or Not Resolute, That is the Quandary. First off, I would like to thank all the Chicks for having me back on the blog again. It’s an honor, and one that I … Continue reading Guest Chick: Francelia Belton
Well, hello there! If you’re wondering to yourself,” “Wow, this post is late,” it’s because yours truly dropped the ball. I blanked. While there’s no such thing as a good excuse for flaking, here was my week last week: Tuesday night – cross our beloved dog Pogo over the rainbow bridge; Wednesday – pack for the first MWA board meeting of the year in New … Continue reading When Life Gets Away From You
Let’s talk New Year’s resolutions! Did you make any this year? If so, how are they going so far? Or…which ones have you broken already? Continue reading “Chick Chat: Resolutions”
Chicks on the Case 